Fate of The Tainted
by AshleyHawke
Summary: When a blight threatens the land, the two known surviving Grey Warden's are the only ones that can rally the people of Ferelden against the threat. Using ancient treaties to ally themselves with the Dwarves of Orzammar, The Dalish Elves and the Mages, gaining companions along the way. But trouble is never far from them. (Ongoing) (my own human noble origin idea)
1. Chapter One

Chapter One

"Mistress Danaya isn't expected back until tomorrow, Ser, but My Lady is out on a routine area sweep. She's expected back within the hour" Favian says in his smooth voice. The firelight from the decorative chandeliers and stone carved fireplace are giving his white hair and pale pink complexion a shimmering glow. And in his glistening silver eyes you can almost see the flames reflecting like a mirror. He seems like any other elf in the service of a noble if not for his mahogany coloured leather armour and the daggers he wears on his back.

"She's already back Favian" I say in polite humour as I walk through the open doors my black leather armour shuffling as I step. Amnon, Favian's twin sister, following behind me. If I didn't know she was there I would think she wasn't for her elven grace left her soundless as she moved. I stop in besides Favian and the man he was speaking to.

"Good evening my lady" The tanned skinned man says as he leans forward in a slight bow, his hair, greying at the temples held back out of his face by a small tie. Even through his armoured robes anyone can see he has the strength of a younger man. He has a noble bearing about him and carrying a longsword and a dagger on his back he looks ready to fight whenever the need arises.

"You assume I'm a lady?"

"Lady Chase" Favian starts

"Spoil sport" I say smiling

"My Lady this is Duncan, Commander of the Grey Wardens here in Ferelden"

I feel my hopes rise at the thought of a Grey Warden here in my mothers house. But he's not just any Warden, he's the Commander of The Grey.

"It is a rare honour indeed to meet the Commander of the Grey Wardens. It's a pleasure to meet you. My mother's a Warden. Could've used the help of a few Wardens earlier if I'm honest, a small group of Darkspawn were sighted not far from here. As you can see, they didn't fair too well" I explain the reason I'm covered in blood "and my party and I returned without a single fatality, a few injuries but who hasn't been injured in battle. Thankfully no one has been tainted."

"It seems you'd make a fine Warden yourself, My Lady"

"Good, you can persuade mother to let me join" I say seriously

"You want to join the wardens? It's not an easy task"

"I understand that, the Wardens sacrifice so much to keep the land safe and with this coming blight things can only get more troublesome. So I would like to help. I've already has two years experience killing the creatures. And before you ask how I know it's a blight my mother told me she can feel it, even without her telling me I know it's a blight."

"How can you be so sure?" He asks with a quizzical look

"I don't know how I can be so sure. But I do know, and there have been a surprising increase in Darkspawn activity lately. So more patrols have had to be made. But I digress I must get changed before I leave a puddle of blood where I stand. Make yourself at home, I'll have someone take you to the guests room and we can talk over dinner. Feel free to wander around if you wish"

"Of course My Lady"

"Oh, no need to be so formal, relax Warden, you're a guest" I say smiling

"As you wish"

"Favian, please can you take Duncan to his room"

"Of course Lady Chase" he replies

"And you also, enough with the formality, you know I don't like it" I say causing smiles from the two Dalish elves and The Warden whilst smiling myself.

I head up to my room, unlacing my elbow length leather gauntlets as I walk, starting at the wrist pulling at the lace to loosen it. Then as I walk into my room I start working on the buckles on the side of my hardened leather chestpiece. That's when Lia comes in and stops me unbuckling to take my gauntlets from me before finishing with the buckles grumble feeling like I'm being treated like a child.

"I can manage myself Valora" I say

"I know, my lady, but I'm only doing my job" she replies. "Twenty years of this you think you would've gotten used to it by now"

I roll my eyes and give up.

After getting out of my armour Valora takes it to get cleaned with my protestation of course. I may have grown up being waited on hand and foot, but it doesn't mean I like it. And I must admit I'd rather clean my armour myself. But the elven maid simply replied saying that there is warm water in the jug in my washroom for me to put in a basin and wash in and that she will get me something clean to wear and that I don't want to keep my guest waiting.

"No dresses" I call after her before rolling my eyes that she had already left the room. I take my undergarments, that protect against chafing, off as I walk to the washroom leaving me in my small clothes as I pour the water out and grabbing a cloth.

"I don't want to be a lady I'm a fighter, mother's a fighter why does she want me to be so proper" I say while looking in the mirror and scrubbing my face clean of blood and mud.

"Because I want you to have a better life than I had when I was your age. Being poor and living on the streets having to fight for survival isn't the life I wanted for you." I hear behind me. I turn to see my mother dressed in a dark green gown.

"You're not suppose to be back until tomorrow" I say surprised

"You know me, I'm either early or on time, but never late. And I see you've been fighting again, like I previously said, this is not what I wanted for you." She says with a sorrowful look.

"I can understand that, but you don't mind me fighting Darkspawn"

She comes over to me and takes the cloth from me, gently washing the gunk from where I can't see or reach.

"I do mind, I always fear that one day the guards will be bringing your lifeless body back. But the only way to stop you is to lock you in a cell, which I will not do."

"Does that mean I can join the Wardens then?" I ask hopefully

"No, I'd need a very good reason to let you join. And I don't have one"

"There's a Grey Warden visiting, I'm sure he can give you a good reason, maybe more than one. Head of Ferelden's Wardens" I say

"Oh, what did this Warden want?"

"I... Don't know... I didn't ask. Looking for you I think"

We stopped talking and just stood in silence cleaning up all the gore.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"It sounds like you take your duties very seriously, my lady" Duncan says to me as we stand in the warm dining room waiting for mother to arrive.

"Duty first, Death second. And if I die doing my duty it's a good death. My mother doesn't like that I think like that much. Speaking of mother.." I say nodding behind him to where my mother was entering the hall after changing her attire from the green dress she wore earlier, to a black velvet one with gold trimming round the waist and the collar.

"Duncan, what a pleasant surprise, it's been twenty years since I last saw you" she says smiling as she walks closer.

"Indeed, time has been kind to you, My Lady" he replies with a slight bow. My mother holds him by the shoulders lightly and kisses him on the cheek. Which I find quite odd.

"Why can you not dress like a woman for once?" My mother asks after noticing me. I just shrug with a sly smile.

"It'd get ripped" I reply and she shakes her head before turning back to Duncan

"When my daughter told me there was a Grey Warden here I had no idea it'd be you. I thought Genevieve, I take it she's..." My mother doesn't quite know how to finish her sentence.

"It's a long story, one I'd rather not discuss at the present"

"I see. So Commander, what brings you here then?"

"Just a passing visit, I'm heading down to Ostagar where the King and his armies are waiting for a Darkspawn hoard amassing in the Korcari Wilds."

"The Wilds, that's not far from here" I state. "That explains why the spawn we've faced have all been heading south whenever we've spotted them"

"So you fight Darkspawn a lot?"

"Only when they surface, there's a cave nearby they come out from time to time. I'm always the first person the guards tell. They've been coming up more frequently lately and in larger numbers. I've had to double patrols for every other day. The last battle had about twenty or so in number, one of which was an Alpha. Amnon shot the blighter with her amazing skills and accuracy with a bow, lucky for me,"

I'd been knocked onto the floor on my back, dazed after being hit in the head with a shield and the Hurlock Alpha towered above me raising his double bladed axe high about to bring it down when it was shot between the eyes and fell backwards. Thankfully not forwards.

"I would've been sliced in two otherwise" my mother sighs worriedly and puts her hand on her face. "But with that out of the way we quickly took out the rest of them. Set the bodies alight before coming back here. It was quite gory, and the smell."

I turn my nose up remembering the foul stench of the burning, sizzling corpses all piled on top of each other guts hanging out, heads lobbed off, throats sliced open, limbs hanging from or missing their bodies.

"but I will not go into detail about that. Wouldn't want to put anyone off their food." I say

"You sound like just the kind of person I'm looking for,"

"You're recruiting?"

"Oh, Duncan, please don't encourage her"

"But mother, I would like to become a Warden, if the Spawn's numbers get too high every Warden in Ferelden will be no match for them.

"It's true, there aren't many Grey Wardens in Ferelden as it is and in a time like this they're sorely needed"

"The Wardens need all the help they can get, please mother"

"I'll consider it" she says sternly

I can barely contain my glee so I excuse myself saying that Damon, my loyal Mabari hound, needs some exercise. He's just lazing by the fireplace napping so I walk to the end of the long room, trying not to look rushed as much as possible.

"Your daughter is a very charming young lady, there's something about her that reminds me of how I used to be, you remember those days?"

"I couldn't forget if I tried." She laughs

They just watch the young woman who's just been pounced on by the faithful pet.

"She is a brave woman, not anyone would willingly face the Darkspawn, yet she does it often. Her men follow her where some wouldn't even follow a king. I'm sure her father must be proud of her. And I must say, she has a certain something about her that reminds me of myself in my younger days." He says with a sideways smile at the woman.

"I don't know, are you proud of our daughter?" She asks looking slightly apprehensive.

"Our daughter?" He asks turning completely to face the mother of his child, remaining composed but his eyes giving away his surprise.

"This is why I had to leave the order, Genevieve is the only one who knew I was with child. She didn't ask who the father was, but I suspect she knew. She always had a way of knowing most people's secrets. But she said it was better if I left, I of course protested, but in the end she ordered me to take my leave. And I always follow orders." They look over at the young woman who's rubbing the stomach of her playful Mabari in an almost childlike way, the hound barking as it stood up and started jumping around at the supposed lady talking in an almost childish tone to the beast before growling playfully which the canine responded to growling itself. "Unfortunately our daughter is a bit of a wild one at times and she prefers to give orders rather than take them, but she's a good little soldier for the most part. The guards and soldiers would follow her, even to their deaths."

They both shared a glance and though hidden to most, if you looked closely you could see the longing each one held to embrace the other, they had missed each other and it had hurt them deeply, to see each other again after so long must be testing. Both too proud to admit how they felt in the presence of their daughter who he had just found out existed, not to mention she has no idea who he is beyond his title as Commander of The Grey. She would think it odd if they suddenly embraced one an other. The short pause between the two was interrupted by another bark before both woman and hound race off through the double doors at the front of the hall.


	3. Chapter Three

I lean against my pillow sitting legs out on my four poster bed as I stroke Damon's head as he rests it on my lap with a huff.

"So, my trusty companion, I may soon be a Grey Warden, if I can persuade mother to let the Commander recruit me. Maybe I'll meet my father..." I start rambling. "nope, don't get ahead of yourself joining the Wardens is one thing but meeting your father, nope, too fairy tale... He's probably dead, that's probably why he's never visited" I say back in reality. I stare blankly at the opposite wall before shaking my head.

"Oh I don't know, maybe fairy stories actually can be real sometimes" my mother says appearing in my doorway. I have to move my torso to the side slightly to look past the curtain hanging down the bed post. Damon barks happily and runs over to her.

"Hello you big fur ball, who's a fluffy boy," she says patting him as he wags his little stump of a tail.

"Mother?" I say confused, she sits on the red velvet sheets and I move next to her.

"He's not dead" she says confusing me for a second before I realise she's talking about my father.

"No?" I ask quizzically raising an eyebrow.

"There's no simple way to put this" Damon whines confused. Mother pauses looking over her left shoulder towards the door "Duncan" she says calmly he appears at the doorway where mother stood moments ago.

"I'm to become a Warden?" I ask surprised

"Now don't get ahead of yourself" my mother says

"If I'm not to become a Warden then why-" It hits me like a Darkspawn shield to the face, only without the pain of it.

"Duncan is your father" she smiles. I just sit there my mouth is moving as if repeating what my mother has just said while looking at the floor puzzled. My mother just laughs at my reaction.

"This is the first time I've seen you lost for words since we met" Duncan says smiling. I look up and my confusion is replaced by joy.

"And since we've met you've changed my life dramatically. And it's only been a few hours" I finally piece together something to say. "I'm the daughter of two Grey Wardens, which is next to impossible in the first place for even one Warden. But two it's even more unlikely. Not only are both my parents Warden's one of them is a Commander of Ferelden's Wardens" I say grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Damon barks and stands on his hind legs with his front paws on Duncan's chest plate.

"That means welcome to the family I guess" I giggle "we've got a lot to talk about. Or I'll talk and you'll listen to my ramblings" I correct. "One thing we need to clear up. What do I call you?"

"Since Grey Wardens having children is unheard of maybe you should just call me Duncan." He states. "Around others anyway"

"That sounds good to me... Father... Wow that was strange, but I like the sound of it" I say

Alarm bells suddenly ring and I shoot to my feet, not long after Favian comes rushing in.

"Darkspawn" he says. Damon growls with his ears back and teeth bared at the very mention of the creatures.

"Where and how many?" I ask heading into my washroom where my now clean armour is hung on its stand.

"About a hundred. Emisary up front, an Ogre , Hurlock grunts and bolters mainly. Heading this way"

I hear my mother repeat the number startled.

I take my shirt off and noticing my undershirt isn't wearable I go without it and I start putting my gauntlets on, standing in only my breast-band.

"Call out my men, position the archers on the wall, get your sister up there tell her to wait for my signal." I put my chest piece on as I speak. "We'll head out there and use the trench traps." I say and I hear him run off as I start to buckle my chestpiece up the side whilst walking back into the room.

"I shall come with you" Duncan says

"And so shall I" my mother also says

"One big happy family fighting the Darkspawn. Sounds like a dream." I smile doing the last fastening up them moving to buckling my tassets around my thigh with the two straps, before I secure my blade harness on my back then grabbing my weapons from on top of my armoire, placing my slightly curved elvish made longsword and a matching dagger in their rightful positions as I turn back to my parents.

"Mother get your gear on and get to the wall, Father and I will get to the traps" my mother goes to get sorted and me and Duncan head off in the opposite direction.

"You certainly know how to give orders" Duncan says

"Are you saying that because I'm your daughter?" I ask curiously

"Not at all, but I'm sure proud of you for being such" he says with a smile.

"And it's and honour to have you as my father" I say with an equal smile before we run off towards the estate gate.

We take our position outside the walls and draw our weapons as everyone else scurries into place. The Spawn see us and stop for a moment they stare at us, and we stare back. The moment is tense, I look around and see some men still falling in behind me. And I hear the metal gates close with a small boom.

"What are they waiting for?" I hear someone say sounding panicked. I walk over to the man.

"Be calm, control your fear, you endanger yourself and those around you if you do not" I say quietly to him.

"Remember, they bleed just like anything else, and that means they can die all the same. If you see an advantage take it, but so not leave yourselves open to be struck." I say to everyone, trying to calm their nerves. "The Darkspawn are hideous, unsympathetic creatures, show them no mercy" I stand back besides Duncan. "For they will show you none" I say just loud enough to cause the Warden to look at me. I dare not look at him for the leader of the spawn gives the order to charge. In the dim light of the setting sun it's hard to see much. But they soon pass the white marking stone letting me know they're in range of our arrows.

"Hold!" I say loud enough for everyone to hear me. I notice some of the younger men still look frightened, but I cannot blame them, on my first bout with Darkspawn it was the single most terrifying thing in my life.

"Hold"

It was my first routine area check, against my mothers protests I went anyway under the supervision of my uncle. Darkspawn ended up surrounding us and that was the first time I saw real bloodshed, as one ran towards me I froze. My uncle appeared from the side and cut its head off telling me to stay close to him. I came to my senses a little and my weapons training kicked in and my muscles began to work again.

The fight was in our favour but it left me violently shaking with both fear and adrenalin. I was only fifteen, I didn't want to leave my room for months until I finally came around and knew It was my duty to my mother, uncle and soldiers of the estate to help them defeat the menaces. And so I braved the Darkspawn from then on. As I got older and more used to them I didn't fear them so much. Now I do not fear them at all and I've got scars enough for any man to be shamed by.

"Steady. On my command" I start holding my weapons ready, Duncan standing next to me. The Darwspawn get ever closer and are almost in spear length. "Now" I yell, and just in time the ropes are pulled raising the barricades, the first line of Spawn are impaled on the spikes atop the wooden structure and those behind fall into the ditch below skewering themselves on yet more hardwood spikes. The barricades are tied off on the oaken pegs and the men that were assigned to the rope draw their weapons falling into line behind us.

"Volley!" I shout

The spawn squeal as they're stuck with arrows. The ones that survive the initial onslaught of piercing missiles start trying to squeeze through the meter wide gap between each barrier. Getting cut down one by one or falling into the pit as they push each other around. It's getting harder to see in the growing darkness, a few of the archers have shot ignited arrows down to light the fires that now help us see. Then a roar erupts from the Ogre, and a blast of flame comes smashing through one of the barricades eviscerating it and sending the men guarding it flying and illuminating the battlefield a little bit more. The blast left a wide yet shallow crater with a few small fires scattered around it but the Ogre came barreling through without a care. Swiping at the first thing that moved it swatted Favian with its arm. As if in slow motion the elf barrel rolls in the air three times before landing hard in the dirt, the Ogre seemingly targets him. Rather than throwing my dagger, I pick up a discarded dagger from a dead spawn close by and throw it at the Ogre hitting it's horn, gaining its attention. I immediately regret it, but as long as my friend is spared from the beast I don't mind. It roars and gets ready to charge when an arrow hits it in the shoulder, causing the beast to whirl around in pain. I look up to see Amnon with her bow pointed at it knocking another arrow. I look around at the scene feeling a bit weary and panting heavily after fighting for so long. Spawn and men being cut down or lying around wounded and screaming in agony, the only way to help them is to win the battle so get back into the fight while making my way to the downed elf hoping he's still alive. I kneel down next to him and he coughs as I move him onto his back, having to turn quickly with a yell to impale a Hurlock that was running at me from the side. When I look back Favian's eyes are open and he's holding something out for me. I take it and look at the round glass bottle with a fiery looking liquid inside. He starts getting up painfully, and I help him. He's probably got some broken ribs no doubt and he's having trouble breathing. The Ogre then notices us, with Favian's injuries it'd be impossible to move fast enough out of the way of its charge. But I have a sudden thought about what to do with the makeshift explosive he handed me. "Maker I hope this works" I say as Favian stands of his own accord holding his blades loosely at his side. As the Ogre gets ready to charge it roars again and I throw the bomb aiming at its mouth. It doesn't hit where I want, but it hits it in a good place to severely injure and weaken it.

With its left arm now blown off a few of the soldiers start attacking it as it holds what's left of its blood spewing shoulder. It's soon felled by a sword to the eye from Duncan.

The number of spawn has dwindled and with the death of the Ogre the rest flee some are slain as they run and we stand ready incase they decide to come back but in the darkness it's hard to see clearly I stand guard near Favian as he has done on many occasions for me.

With no sign of the spawn returning we go back inside the defensive walls Favian limping as he leans against me for support. Amnon rushes to her twins side as soon as we're inside the walls. He groans as she hugs him, obviously she's worried about him and she apologises for causing him pain before they walk off to get him seen to but not before she thanks me, in her language, for looking out for him. I go back outside the walks helping people who are injured get somewhere to be looked at.


	4. Chapter Four

This chapter has a scene some may find disturbing, even I find it disturbing and I wrote it. But realism calls for hard writing at times. No hate please and no reporting, its rated how it is for a reason. I do apologise if the scene upsets anyone.

* * *

"They had an Emissary with them, it didn't attack directly but when the Ogre went down they all fled. Why is that? I for one want to find out. There can't be more than forty still alive after that battle." I say looking down at a large map of the area with my palms on the table. I'm weary and still covered in blood like everyone else in the room. We're holding a war council in the great hall, Mother, Duncan, Amnon and a battered looking Favian stand around the table.

"What course of action would you have us take?" Favian asks

I think for a moment. What if their retreat is a trap, Emissaries are quite smart, yet not overly smart.

"I think we need to find and kill this Emissary. Hurlock's and Genlock's are quite harmless in comparison, but this Emissary could rally more together and attack again, maybe more Ogres next time. One Ogre alone is a problem, but more, they could tear down our gate. We need to go after it as soon as possible." I say leaning off the table

"Do you not think you should wait until morning?" Mother asks as she pulls a chair out and sits down.

"If we wait until morning we may have another attack on our hands" I state

She nods.

"I'll come with you" Favian says

"And I" his sister agrees stepping forward.

"I cannot ask you both to come. If there is an attack while I'm gone I'll need you two here"

"My lady, what if you're ambushed"

"Have no fear of that, I will accompany her" Duncan Volunteers. I nod accepting his help.

"I'll take a handful of twenty five men and head towards the blighters cave. I have no doubt that they will be around there."

We mount up on horses and ride towards the Darkspawn cave. Since it is still night, the fastest we allow the horses to go is a slow trot. As we get out of sight of the castle we notice a small fire off in the distance, we go closer with our weapons at the ready.

"Darkspawn" Duncan states when we're about two hundred feet from them, as we get closer I can tell also. We set off into a charge and take them out easily. Almost too easy. But then again they were only small number. I dismount and check the closest body, definitely dead, throat sliced open so deep the head almost tore off as I picked it up to put it on the fire. Not even three bodies had been put to the flames when one of them, thought to be dead, jumps up stabbing my horse and killing a couple others before killing the soldiers riding them. It was soon felled by a crossbow bolt to the eye socket. I go to check my horse that is snorting and twitching its front legs in pain and shock. The wound is fatal and I feel a deep burning hate well up inside me, mingled with sadness. I've had this horse since I had helped give birth to it, and looked after her since its mother died in the birthing. I've played with her in the estates paddocks. She's carried me on many Darkspawn hunting trips and scouting missions. I've cleaned and tended to her wounds even before my own have been fully seen to.

She whinnies frightened trying to lift her head to get up.

"Shhh. Easy Delicae" I lean down and pet the frightened mare leaning my head on her neck, my eyes threatening to flood with tears but I hold them back. The soldiers are finishing burning the Darkspawn bodies and as I lift my head back up it feels as if time itself seems to slow down. I look into her amber eyes that are highlighted by the firelight, so full of fear and pain and she looks back into my blue ones which no doubt are showing my hurt for the creature. "I'm so sorry" I say stroking her neck. I know what I have to do, but the thought of killing my best friend lies heavy on my heart, but it's a mercy that must be done. She nuzzles me with the side of her face, no doubt knowing the situation and what needs to be done. I take my concealed blade from my boot and quickly end the creatures suffering, a loud squeal sounds from the horse and a violent shake before air around silent and still. I close my eyes and whisper a prayer in Dalish that Amnon taught me when her horse had died the same way. I feel a hand rest on my shoulder and look to see Duncan with an sorry look on his face. I stand up and nod, now is not the time for this and the last of the Darkspawn bodies had just been added to the fire.

* * *

Horses name means sweetheart, courtesy of Sabaine. She writes very good fan fictions if you like this story of mine I definitely recommend her stories. They're much better than mine. Haha


	5. Chapter Five

I have edited Chapter Three anyone who has read that before may want to go and read it again otherwise you may get confused by this chapter

* * *

We continue our search well into the night but there is no sign nor hair of any more Darkspawn so we decide to head back to the estate. Our bodies weary from fighting the previous battles and our lack of sleep taking their toll on us. One of the younger lads has fallen off his horse several times as a consequence and injured his shoulder. I tell everyone to keep moving as I get off the back of Duncan's white mare and help the lad back onto his black and white Piebald stallion.

"Hang in there Sonny, we'll be back soon" I say and get on the horse behind him, taking the rains.

"Forgive me my lady-"

"Hush, it's alright. No need to apologise for being weary" I say understanding how he feels.

I kick the horse into a trot to catch up to the group and as we catch up there's a slight orange glow coming over the hill. But it is no sunrise. I race the stallion to the top of the hill Duncan and the soldiers follow suit. The estate in the distance is alive with fire.

"What happened?" Sergeant Emilie asks. I kick the horse into a gallop without a second thought. Once at the gates I'm surprised to see them shut. I'm not sure what to make of the situation, my first thought was that the Darkspawn had attacked but now I'm not too sure, maybe it could have just been an accident gone bad.

"Open the gates" I shout.

There's no reply. "Is anyone there?...Can anyone hear me? ...Garret!" I shout for the gate keeper. Now my thoughts wander back to an attack again.

"Is everyone dead? Was this the Darwspawn?" Sonny asks, I look to Duncan who nods. Being born tainted I can't sense Darkspawn as well as those that undertook the joining, but Duncan and my mother I can sense easily. "How did they get in" the boy continues to panic.

"Calm down lad" I say to the fearful Sonny. "Fear won't help us"

"My lady? Is that you?" I hear Favian's voice. I look around then look up to see him leaning out of the gate tower window.

"Favian! What happened here? Open the gates" I say

He opens the gate and a few servants come to help us. Favian slid down a rope from the tower after the gates were shut.

"Favian, were is everyone?"

"Darkspawn came up through the wine cellar, took us by surprise, dragged everyone back down there. There's only a few of us left, we had to barricade ourselves in the Great Hall, your mother, she's wounded"

"Take me to her" I demand worried.

We run through the halls until we get to where everyone is cowering, only the main door has been opened the others are still blocked up with tables, chairs and everything else movable. I almost stop in my tracks seeing my mother lying on a table with blood soaked bandages around her waist still clad in her armour. Damon is sat up tall watching her with Amnon next to him, my mothers maid is dabbing her forehead with a wet cloth.

I rush I over to her panting and trying to catch my breath, I lean one knee on the bench as support, almost forgetting about my achy muscles.

"Mother" she's deathly pale and cold to the touch as I hold her hand.

"My daughter. You return" she says weakly.

"O-Of corse I have. You know me, Darkspawn can't... " I take a shaky breath "Can't take me down" I say, my voice barely containing my worry.

"My lady, if I may have a word?" the maid asks, her voice almost a whisper. I nod. "in private" she adds before standing up and walking towards a quiet corner of the room.

"I'll be back in a moment" I say before kissing her hand and walking away

"Tell me you can do something to save her" I say desperately, knowing what she is about to say.

"I'm sorry my lady, your mother... She's not going to last much longer" the maid sounds sympathetic and the hurt she feels shows in her eyes.

"There must be something, anything!" I say looking back to my mother who is talking to Duncan whom is stood where I previously stood.

"I'm sorry my lady" she says before she leaves. I feel a huge wave of pressure start to drown me in sorrow, I feel numb, like my heart has just shattered and left me empty to the the core. I'm sure I've forgotten how to breathe and in that moment I could swear my soul has left my body, I feel like I'm floating. As my senses come back I start to feel dizzy and I lean against the wall with both hands, for support, looking at the floor while breathing heavily but silently.

"My lady?" I hear from my side.

I use all the strength I can muster to stand up straight and face the voice.

"Yes Favian" I manage to say.

"Your mother is asking for you"

He turns around and walks to his sister as I follow, they are both about to walk away when my mother asks them to stay. They nod and comply.

"My daughter" she says slowly, holding her hand out for me to grab. Duncan moves back to let me in "I could never have been more proud of you." The light in her eyes are dimming the usual bright blue is more of a dull grey, her breathing is strained and the air around her feels still. "You are to go with Duncan. you will become a Grey Warden. You've always been so strong, even when you've had every reason to fall apart. I love you, my girl. I couldn't have asked the maker for a more loyal and caring child. I will always watch over you my darling." She says. At that moment a tear falls from my eye.

"I failed you mother, I should've been here" I say holding her hand to my face.

"None sense, we had no way of knowing this would happen, do not blame yourself for what cannot be altered." She wipes my tears away and I force myself to hold the rest back. "You will go to Ostagar, help the King, stop the blight. Favian and Amnon will go with you, and of course, your fur ball of love will go too." Damon whines sadly "you will need all the help you can get. I've ordered an evacuation. The Darwspawn know there are survivors and they will return. Take this key" she pulls a key from between her breasts and hands it to me "in the armoury you will find the family sword and shield. You must go fulfil your destiny, become a Grey Warden. Save Fer-" She says using her last dutiful breath. I close her eyes and place her hand over her stomach and the other one on top of it. I bow my head before getting up and going to the stables and getting bags of straw and bringing them back. Realising what I'm doing the others help.

After the straw and other burn-able items are put around my mother and wood underneath the table I grab a torch from the wall. I look at my mothers peaceful face and bow my head, closing my eyes.

"Andraste, bride of the Maker bring peace to my mother and guide her to heaven where by the Maker's mercy may my mothers soul rest by your side." I light the straw and take one last look at my mother. " I will not let you down" with that said I turn and walk away.


	6. Chapter Six

Right, firstly a big thank you to Sabaine for her all of her help with this chapter. I really couldn't have done a good chapter without her, and I'm sorry I've taken a while to update, I've not felt like writing much because of the heat making me feel really tired and what I did write didn't quite live up to my preferred standards, it seemed quite boring. First for this chapter I though maybe start it with them riding away from the estate and looking back, but then I thought take it from where I left off and have them looking for survivors but I couldn't think of anything interesting to fill it in with. So I settled for this, sorry it's so short though. I'll quit rambling and let you read the chapter. Haha

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While leaning against the huge oak tree nestled within its roots I stare at the fire thinking about what could have happened at the battle in the estate when figures start moving in the flames it's almost as if my mind is showing me what I am imagining the battle to have been like. I see my mother fighting off a Hurlock Alpha decapitating it before being speared by a Genlock that just looked at her before grunting and pushing on the spear it still had hold of before it was cleaved in the head from behind. I close my eyes and the tears that started filling my eyes flush over my eyelids. A clunking sound of wood being dropped into a pile wakes me from my thoughts and I lean off the tree looking towards the sound. Favian has collected some wood for the fire, his ribs must still be paining him because he's holding his side. It's been deathly quiet in the camp, none of us have spoken a word since we left the estate.

Just before another wave of Darkspawn attacked we heard the roar of an Ogre as we went over a rise away from the estate that is now taken over by the spawn.

I care nothing for sitting around thinking so I stand up telling Favian to rest and that I'll collect some more wood, with protest from him, but I hear none of his protestations and again tell him to relax and I go anyway.

My plan to occupy my mind looking for firewood didn't work like I planned, although I was distracted, my thoughts kept running back to that night. As I walk I hear the sound of water getting louder, and closer still I hear a male voice talking. It's Duncan's voice I hadn't realised he wasn't at camp until I went through the scene in my mind.

Amnon was sitting close to the horses making arrows by sharpening sticks until they were straight but not too thin with a sharpened point on the tip with three feathers for flight. Damon was sleeping near the fire huffing every once in a while. I walked past Favian who sat down in defeat after his failed protests. But no Duncan anywhere to be seen. While I move slowly around trees to see him I notice he's stood at the edge of a lake that a river is running softly into. He's holding something that has a chain hanging down from his hand as he is looking down, either at the water or the trinket I do not know, and talking quietly, curiously I walk closer to hear what he's saying.

"...the child, she, has a good soul. A strong, iron will... These words are hard for me at this moment..." He pauses and sighs, as if he can't find the right phrase he is looking for. I linger hoping that he won't sense my presence until I want him to. "I am proud of your daughter. Our daughter... You raised her well... She is independent and acts with wisdom beyond her age... Yet she is still just a child and wild, she doesn't acknowledge her limits, it makes her unpredictable... which can be dangerous... She reminds me of you when we first met... My heart pains me... If only I had known sooner..."

It seems he could tell I was there now because he stopped talking and slightly faced backwards. So I move towards him slowly.

"But wouldn't knowing have forced you to choose between family and duty?" I ask

"Yes, you are right" he replies looking down to his trinket. "Your mother was doing her duty and raising you. Fighting Darkspawn is what Grey Wardens do, it's why your mother chose there to live." He turns to face me. "If I had known... She was special to me, we had fought and shed blood side by side for so long..."

"You fell in love with each other, didn't you?"

"One night your mother had a severe injury, I stayed by her until a healer could be found, we had just been attacked by Darkspawn a few days from the nearest city. We couldn't move her much in case we made her injury worse... By Andraste, I can't remember what the injury was anymore... But we got her safe and set up camp realising we needed magical assistance someone had to go find help, in the time it took our two companions to get to the city to bring a Mage back she confessed that in the amount of time we had spent around each other she had gotten close to me, and I to her. And that brought us even closer. Since then we were inseparable, fighting side by side like sword and shield, she was the sword, I was the shield. The irony of that statement being that she was an archer." He says with a small chuckle "but we should return to camp, no doubt they'll be wondering where we are and will be needing the wood you've collected" he says reminding me of the wood I'm carrying and putting an arm around my shoulder to turn me in the direction back to camp.


End file.
